Question Adding an old router to home network in bridge mode

Oct 18, 2022
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Hey Folks, I have fiber at home and my own personal Netgear router for wifi access. All is well, but I would like to extend my network a little bit as I have a garage that does not pick up the wifi that great. I have an old D-Link DIR-601 router that I would like to use as a bridge to extend the wifi. Here is what I know (not sure if I am right)
Hook up old router, log into it and disable the DHCP settings, then change IP address to say 192.168.1.254, then change wireless configurations to manual. Change SSID name to my home network name and make sure the security is set as the same.
If that is all I need to do, do I unhook the newly configured (old router) and just plug it into the wall, or does the old router also have to be plugged into another computer out near the garage?
If I am WAY off base I apologize.
Also, if I do get it up and running...how do you actually know if it is working?
 
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You need to plug the old router to the main router with a ethernet cable.

The only way to run it without a wired connection between the 2 routers is to run the second router as a repeater and it may not have that function. Even if it does you do not want to place it in the garage it will get the same bad signal and just make it worse trying to repeater it. Repeaters must be placed where they can get strong signal from the main router and still provide signal to the remote router. You will get a very significant decrease in the speed using any kind of repeater.

You should use repeaters as you very last option.

If you have coax cables in both locations you can use MoCA to connect the 2 routers and you might consider powerline networks to connect the 2 routers. A ethernet is the optimum connection though.